Check Your Skin!
In September 2014 I went in for my first ever visit to a dermatologist to get all the freckles and moles I have on my body looked at, since New Zealand is a very high risk country when it comes to sun exposure. Little did I know that, although all my freckles and moles came back clear, a small lump I had on my forehead that had been there for a long time ended up being the cause for concern. It had started as a small pock scar from a bout of chicken pox in my early twenties and had lately turned into a small, shiny lump that would get irritated now and again. A quick biopsy came back positive for a form of skin cancer known as Basal Cell Carcinoma. Thankfully it very rarely metastasizes, but it's still a shock to hear someone say you have a form of cancer. So on October 8, 2014 I had a Mohs surgery procedure done to remove the lump.
To help bring awareness to this all too common cancer that can be dangerous if not treated, along with the other forms of skin cancer that can be life threatening if not discovered early, I decided to document the days following in pictures. Not to mention the fact that having a little fun with my post surgery appearance helped me to deal with this change to the look of my face forever. I did start to make up battle stories for the scar as well. The supernatural version being that it was caused by Voldemort's more evil cousin - eat your heart out Harry Potter! The NYC version was that I got into an altercation with someone who decided to punch me in the face, so I tore off their hand ... with my forehead!
Everyone, please be diligent and check your skin!
Day 0: Straight after surgery with what I referred to as my "Klingon makeup". Went straight from here to overtime at work for 11 hours - what was I thinking!
Day 1: The brave face the day after upon first look. Nothing like taking off bandaging and seeing this!
Day 2: The bruised face as discoloring sets in. Or as I called it - my all real, all natural, all organic "Halloween makeup".
Day 3: Either the frontal lobotomy was a success or the zombie apocalypse is here. I'm ready for my audition for The Walking Dead!
Day 4: If I had looked like this when I was playing an orc in Lord of the Rings: ROTK, it would have made the make-up team's job a lot easier!
Day 5: The New Yorker, in honor of 7 years living in NYC - "Did you just call me a coward?! ... What?! ... Ohh, you meant I am literally yellow".
Day 6: Red, my cheeky little travel companion, having some fun. Luckily he left the zipper alone, as who knows what sort of Pandora's Box is hiding in my forehead!
Day 7: Saluted a fond farewell to the stitches - on my way to have them taken out and replaced with bandage strips for a few days
Day 12: The curtains were finally drawn back and the new scar revealed to the world! Now it's time to practice my brooding, vertical frown!
